Gold And Jewel-Encrusted Monopoly Game Heads To Wall Street

A gold and jewel bedazzled version of Monopoly worth $2 million is heading to Wall Street this Friday. That’s not a metaphor.

Crafted by master jeweler Sidney Mobell and 22 years in the making, the set features dice with 42-cut diamonds and a photo-etched 18k gold board.

The set will be on display at the Museum of American Finance staring Friday. The museum is also hosting a Monopoly tournament to celebrate the unveiling. The under 18’s play from 10:15-12, and the adults from 1-3. Presumably they split up the groups because there are some people in the vicinity who have more experience running monopolies and they don’t want there to be an unfair advantage over the kids.

OK, how the hell do you end a monopoly game in 2 hours is what I want to know…When you try with the legit rules this game goes on for at least 4-5 hours….when we play we tweaked the rules, you can build anytime and anywhere you like and if someone lands on a prop that they do not want it goes to auction………faster and more fun…..but still takes 2+ hours and we give up out of boredom

The first time I played Monopoly, it was at school with a couple of other students, and I wish I could remember why we were allowed to play Monopoly all freaking day. We even played through recess, took a break only for lunch. We just could not figure out how to “win” the game. I have never played a “quick” game of Monopoly … I would much rather have used the figurines as toys or as my token in other games like Candyland, which at least had a clear goal.

1> You’re supposed to auction the property if someone doesn’t buy it. That is in the official rules.
2> No doubt you’re playing that universally defined unofficial rule that throws $500 and all taxes, $50 to spring out of jail etc. in the center of the board waiting for anyone that lands on Free Parking. Which makes for awfully long games.

An addon to that as well: officially there are 32 houses and 12 hotels available throughout the game, and if you read your title deeds: Houses cost $x. Hotels cost $x + 4 houses. Meaning that if someone hoards the houses and you manage to finally land on and buy Park Place (assuming you already nabbed Boardwalk) if there aren’t 8 houses available, you cannot immediately buy hotels.

Mobell relishes the notion that such a decadent symbol of capitalism as a game is heading to the heart of the financial crisis. â€œThe timing is fantastic,â€ he says.

If by fantastic, he meant in poor taste and essentially mocking the fact that so many people are struggling to make ends meet and keep their home while the Wall Street crooks who crashed the economy are making off like bandits, then yes, it is fantastic.

They STILL haven’t updated the prices (or ratios of prices) from the original 1940’s version? Mediterrean Ave still costs $60? At least multiply it by $1 million for this version.

Why is it that no matter how many versions of monopoly are created, they insist on leaving the prices and ratios unchanged? It could be more interesting for people to play (and buy) if they tweaked the values.